Out with the Old -In with the New: Replacing 9 Year Old UF Membranes With Another Manufacturer’s Modules

Many older proprietary microfiltration and ultrafiltration (MF/UF) membrane systems have been in service long enough to require replacement of elements. This paper presents methods to specify and select new replacement elements for existing proprietary systems allowing competitive bids between suitable manufacturers (rather than risking higher costs due to sole-sourcing) including bid evaluation and regulatory approval if a different manufacturer’s product is selected, illustrated by a real-world case, the 9-year-old 12 mgd UF membrane filtration plant in Mankato, Minnesota. The information in this paper will help membrane system owners have more options and save money on membrane replacement projects.